CLIMATE CHANGE

So we have had the budget. Personally it seemed OK, But nothing much on the environment – only an increase in tax on private jet passengers which no one should have a cause to complain about (who the fuck actually needs a private jet of their own?). Fuel tax remains unchanged which is probably sensible for businesses. The only controversial one I have seen is the cut to inheritance credits for farms? However the elephant in the room – climate change was not mentioned. I was expecting the announcement of a major investment in the Green Energy Bank or whatever it is called. Just investment in carbon capture which is purely to appease the oil companies – carry on polluting and we will invest in the clean up. So it was an economists budget which will appease most of those who voted Labour.

FERTILITY RATE

Something I am qualified to comment on! So Uk rate is 1.44 which is half that from 1963. Add in a further complication about the age of mothers and we have a demographic problem that has epic implications. Let me simplify this – women are having fewer kids, woman are having kids later, the % of working aged people is shrinking quite rapidly. Add in long covid and mental health issues and this becomes a crisis.

AI and robots may help with the job scenario. But fortunately we are not the first country to face this situation, South Korea, Italy, Hungary and others are already facing up to the problem. The immediate answer that comes to mind is migration? Some areas of London already have nearly 100% of births to non-white parents. Not a problem to me but some will object.

I also have an environmental concern about the growth of our population – both UK and world. So we have fewer workers and more old needing aid. The economics need to be spelt out – and fast.

TAX

Interesting whinging on LBC – restaurant owner complains that the minimum wage rise will affect his business and then complains that people do not have the money to eat out. Has he not heard of Ford economics? Low earners tend to spend their wages locally – FACT. The rich will not. But the rich invest money in business? Bullshit, they invest in hedge funds and FTSE100 firms (which pay their directors hundreds of millions. CGT should be at least equal to income tax, a tax on squirrelled wealth should not be less than that on labour.

So tax the rich – easy, few to complain unless you count the gullible fuckers who read the trash press! If labour really want to equalise society they will assess carefully the housing market.Bring housing costs down and everyone except the rich will be better off. So building more – especially within cites, to reduce transport and utility costs. But also increase CGT on property.

A conundrum – I bought this house 25 years ago’ish for £170000 and it is now worth approx £400000>. Nice! I paid off the loan with interest so probably at least £100000 profit. I would hope to pass on money to the kids as the housing market has been cruel to them. But if I was asked if a 50% on the £100000 profit was fair I would have to say yes! This sum is easy as I do not move often – Maybe there should be a start date? I suggest 2016 (that fateful year!). And then additions to houses and improvements? Yes complicated but a tax on land would be equable?

JENRICK

has genuinely lost the plot! he “claimed that the debate about reparations had “seeped into our national debate through universities overrun by leftists peddling pseudo-Marxist gibberish to impressionable undergraduates”. He knows much about gibberish and little about history. We did not colonise these territories as a benign superpower wishing to instal a fair and democratic society. We forcefully occupied these countries to extract wealth from them and to entrench or miliatary power on the oceans and seas of the world. Whether we were better or worse than what came before or after is basically irrelevant compared to what we did when we were the colonialist power.

If his nonsensical diatribe wins him votes it really does reflect very badly on Conservative members! Manny Shinwell is looking increasingly wrong when forced to make a statement to Parliament “….not all Conservatives are liars”. However the current trend of rewriting history is a dispicable one. I cannot be bothered to point out the intellectual reasons that Jenrick is wrong – he is also guilty of attempted fraud via his time as Housing Minister and guilty of one of the most pointless vindictive acts perpertrated by the last government – painting over a mural designed to make children more comfortable. What a fucking bastard!

MILLIE

My sour dough starter – I am sorry Millie – I have got you all wrong! I think we need a few days to sort it out. I will transfer to a bigger pot and then keep out of the fridge and feed every day for 5 days – and then it will be baguette time, and pizza!

Menhiers – I think it maybe largely psychosomatic! I woke up this morning and felt shit! Not dizzy but almost? Then Tams and Tom and Corinne and Ottilie came round – no probs! they left with a couple of trays of goodies as did Maz and Matthew. Still got Martin and Holly to clear the decks of jam and pickles and chutney!

EVERYDAY IT GETS A LITTLE CLOSER!

I guess that could be death, but I was thinking about the Budget and then the USA election. Firstly the latter – I personally find it unbelievable that so many Americans love the orange twat! But if I think about how the UK would have voted in the last election with Johnson instead of Sunak – I am filled with despair! It would have been close and I suspect Boris would have won! But ttf he didn’t.

So the budget – the wankers on the right have been predicting all sorts of doom and destruction – but we will have to see what the lady draws out of the battered red box on the day.

Voting – I think that most people vote on the economy, how it affects them, etc. Racism and bigotry win in binary contests, like Brexit. So are the left panicing unnecessarily over Trump? He has a vocal hardcore of supporters and Musk!

FOOD PARCELS FOR CHILDREN

Just making a list : Mangoes, garlics, herbs, lemon drizzle, pickled onions, green tomato chutney, strawberry jam, apples but Millie is misbehaving so no bread – I bought a loaf this morning for the first time in 4/5 weeks. I am thinking I might make another batch of pickled onions, and then need to practice with pastry for christmassy cookies, I have lots of cinnamon, star anise, mace – typing this makes me realise it is xmas cake making time! I might make a few smaller cakes this year, I have the tins. And then a quandary – Matthew is lactose intolerant, but I will ask him today what he has, then there is Matthew ‘the egg man’ who is diabetic, and Kate who is just weirdly picky (no glace cherries, apricots, almond,s, – and then tomatoes, onions, olives, coconut,), and then Jaimie with no currants or raisins! Erin is easy with just being a veggie – only affects main course. Please note that my children do not have eating anomalies, they always ate whatever they were given!

DIET

Britain had developed a certain qudos for the innovative restaurants that abounded before Covid. However this masked the growth of take aways and more generally UPFoods. Pre-made dinners are common and relatively cheap. Our children are provided with this in schools, pot noodles are cheap easy and quick in the shortened lunchtimes. Jamie Oliver did his best but the media has conspired against him.

SLAVERY – REPATRIATIONS

An interesting topic with few unassailable arguments! Firstly a verbal apology is essential and the easiest answer. A full detailed apology is a must. However when it comes to finance it is much more difficult. Any good intention would be swallowed up by lawyers fees! And then could there be a counter claim for port facilities, etc. that the colonialists put in? Should descendants pay for the crimes of their ancestors? Obviously there is a muddied vision here – the great houses and artifacts within them are of great value and our wealth as a nation was a huge beneficiary of the slave trade. Should the country houses be sold – who too? Russian oligarchs or Saudi princes who also have much blood on their hands. We live in an imperfect world.

VAPES

Interesting social phenomena? Numbers taking up vaping exceeds numbers who took up smoking. OK some honesty here – I started smoking at the age of 16 and stopped in 2020. It was cool when I was 16, adverts and films had cool people smoking – OK so I was naive and stupid! But a tremendous amount of advertising supported my stupidity! However what attracts kids to vaping? It does not seem to be cool? Is peer pressure so overwhelming, and concerning? My local shop is approaching £100000 for vape sales? I have no idea about tobacco sales for comparison.

Are vapes actually safer? Or is the ‘safer’ publicity misleading? I personally cannot see how it can be safer? And as Kate suggested – how long before tobacco companies come up with a new alternative?